(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transit information provision device which provides transit-related information to a user, and particularly to technology which provides transit information in a mobile terminal device, such as a car navigation system, using the best-suited method in accordance with the user's situation.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there have been devices which store a traffic level set by the user in a mobile terminal such as a car navigation system, and which, when there is traffic on the road ahead, provide a traffic detour according to the set traffic level (Patent Document 1, Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-4469).
FIG. 35 is a diagram which shows a structural example of the device disclosed in Patent Document 1.
In FIG. 35, the route setting unit 11 is a unit which sets the route of the user. The traffic information provision unit 13 is for example a unit which provides traffic information such as VICS information. The current route traffic determination unit 12 is a unit which determines whether or not there is traffic information on the set route. The traffic density setting unit 16 is a unit which sets a traffic density at which a detour is searched for. The traffic density setting unit 16 stores the set traffic density in a traffic density storage unit 17. Subsequently, when it is judged that there is traffic on the current route, a detour is searched for by the detour search and determination unit 14 by taking into account the traffic density and the set traffic density, and a detour is displayed in a display unit 15.
FIG. 36 is a diagram which shows an example of a screen displayed by the display unit 15. As shown in screen 1 in FIG. 36, the user for example sets a traffic density divided into three levels: “high”, “medium” and “low”. Subsequently when traffic occurs on the set route and satisfies the set traffic density, the detour searched for is displayed, as shown in screen 2.